Sudan reports increase in dengue fever

Health officials in Sudan are reporting an increase in dengue fever cases during the past two months. According to the Federal Ministry of Health in Sudan, a total of 90 suspected cases including 2 deaths (CFR: 2.2%) were reported across the states of Khartoum, Kassala, East Darfur, West Darfur, South Kordofan and Red Sea, with Kassala reporting the vast majority (where the first case was reported on Oct. 4).

Sudan map/CIA

Three cities in Kassala state, namely Kassala city, West Kassala and Rifi Kassala, contributed the most to this number, with 86% of them being reported from Kassala city.

The last outbreak of dengue fever in Sudan was reported in 2014 with 738 cases reported and 6 associated deaths in the Red Sea state. This state has been hit by dengue fever since 2003. The worst outbreak, so far, was in 2010, with 4,008 cases and 12 deaths.

As a response to the increasing number of suspected dengue fever cases in Sudan, WHO distributed mosquito repellents among 10,000 school children in Kassala, and volunteers visited 2,500 houses to raise awareness about indoor vector control activities.

Dengue fever is an arboviral disease caused by the dengue virus (DENV) and transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These mosquitoes also transmit chikungunya, yellow fever and zika virus. Dengue fever affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death. Recovery from infection provides lifelong immunity against the serotype.